Of Rings and Promises
by TheTruthBetween
Summary: He stood before her, a beautifully understated diamond ring pinched between his fingers.
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by PJJ's tweet about Ep 100 being a real surprise, and AWM recently talking about Caskett marriage.

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"Marry me."

Beckett's eyes widened as she looked into Castle's eyes. He stood before her, a beautifully understated diamond ring pinched between his fingers. It was exactly the kind of engagement ring she'd dreamed of having.

"Kate," his voice was strained with quiet desperation as her silence lengthened. "I love you. Marry me. Please."

Her gaze flicked back and forth between his eyes and the ring, and her breathing sped up. "Castle..." Her slight discomfort colored her tone, and the hopeful light in his clear blue eyes started to dim. "I love you, too," she whispered, and her hand reached up to cup his cheek. "But..." She shook her head, her brow furrowing.

"Kate?" He sounded heart-broken. "I want to spend my life with you."

She sighed his name and leaned up, pressing her lips to his in a slow, lingering kiss. "So do I," she breathed. She met his gaze steadily as she settled back on her heels. "But... You know everything about me, Castle." His expression showed his confusion. She continued. "You know what makes me laugh and what makes me cry. You know what scares me. You know the nightmares that wake me up at night. You know my body and my mind and my soul. You've seen everything that I am. But I... I can't say the same."

His voice was rough as he replied, "I don't understand."

Her thumb brush across his cheekbone before she slid her fingers into his hair. "I know who you are on the surface. And I know some of who you are deep inside. I know you're a good man. I know I love you. And I know you love me. I know you would never hurt me, and I know you would do anything for the people you love. I know so much about your behavior, but I don't know the whys of it. You've looked into my soul and I'm glad for it. I just want a chance to see yours, first."

He seemed to wilt before her, curling his fingers around the ring, hiding it in his fist.

"I'm not saying no," she told him softly. "I'm saying not yet. Keep that ring, Castle. You'll be putting it on my finger one day." She leaned up and kissed him again, whispering, "I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

This was written by the lovely, amazing Laura Picken, who is the Bo to my Kenzi. Thank you so much, hon!

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"Bull."

Beckett turned around slowly, stunned by the bluntness of Castle's statement. "Excuse me?"

Castle repeated his exclamation, his confidence slowly returning along with a growing anger. "I said...bull. That argument is total bull." Castle strode forward until he caught up to his girlfriend. "I don't know everything about you. I couldn't possibly. I'm not **you**. Do you know why people can be happily married for sixty, seventy, or eighty years?" When Beckett shook her head, Castle continued his argument before she had a chance to say anything. "Because you can live a lifetime with someone and learn new things about them every single day. I've only known you what, five, six years?"

"Six," Beckett replied quietly.

"Then how could I **possibly **know every single thing about you?" Castle countered quickly. Beckett sighed, knowing that Castle had a point. Castle pressed on further. "Look, Kate, I didn't ask you to marry me because I know everything about you. I asked you to marry me because I love you and I want to **get **to know everything about you. Every single day for the rest of my life. I thought you felt the same way about me..."

Beckett sighed again, closing her eyes as she knew her carefully thought out defenses were going to cost her her chance with her 'one-and-done' if she didn't say something. "I do..." she muttered under her breath.

The words were just loud enough for Castle to hear them. "Whoa, Beckett," he joked, "I just wanted to get engaged, but if you've changed your mind that much I'll certainly spring for a flight to Vegas..."

Beckett rolled her eyes. "You know, you can be the most maddening, infuriating..."

"Throwing my own words back at me, Kate?" Castle countered with an unapologetic smile.

It was a smile Beckett quietly found herself matching. She took Castle's left hand in her own, feeling the comfort she always felt in the strength of his touch. Beckett drew enough confidence from that strength to say the one thing left on her heart. "Ask me again."

Castle blinked back his surprise, trying not to be stunned that his words had gotten through to her so quickly. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me," Beckett replied, her heart welling up with love for the man in front of her. "Ask me again."

The ring was back in his right hand in a heartbeat. Castle drew in a deep breath to steady his nerves, then let it out slowly as he dropped to one knee in front of her.

"Kate Beckett...will you marry me?"


End file.
